System, method and apparatus for controlling the dissemination of digital works

ABSTRACT

A system, business methodology and apparatus for facilitating controlled dissemination of digital works is disclosed. An audio and video organizer, entertainment, and communication unit that plays back audio and video media content received from a central storage server. The unit relies on a smartcard, which has a personalized key that unlocks encrypted content. Using the unit, a user can purchase music or other types of media using a appropriate ordering method. The central storage server then transmits a double-encrypted, compressed audio file to the unit, where it is decrypted based on the smartcard key, and available for listening.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S.patent application Ser. Nos. 11/240,534, filed Oct. 3, 2005, now U.S.Pat. Nos. 7,925,897, and 09/810,957, filed Mar. 16, 2001, abandoned, andU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/190,268, filed Mar. 17, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to improvements in home entertainmentsystems, particularly, to a system, method and apparatus forfacilitating the usage of digital works.

2. Description of the Related Art

The growth of the Internet as a communication tool has been phenomenal.With the increasing usage of the Internet as a platform for business,staid industries are having to reinvent themselves to keep ahead of orkeep pace with this technological wave.

The music industry has had to cope with advances in technology impingingupon artists' royalties and controlled dissemination. Prior to theinvention of the Internet and its rise in massive popularity, digitalmusic was distributed in fairly traditional ways. Music was recorded andthen mastered and pressed to compact disc, which then acted as thephysical medium that consumers purchased. Compact discs, by theirnature, are limited to reproducing original mastered music at 44.1 kHz,but this reproduction offered the closest digital copy of the masterthat had ever been previously possible. To copy this music to anotherformat for use on another unit besides a compact disc player, such as acassette player, a person would have to make an analog recording of themusic, usually on a cassette recorder that is physically attached to theaudio out ports on the compact disc player. Digital Analog Tape and theMiniDisc faced similar limitations, namely the digital audio from thesource had to be converted, at some point, to an analog signal fortransfer to these mechanisms.

Personal computers offered a solution to this archival problem.Computers are able to read the music off a compact disc and then, usingvarious software, can extract or “rip” the audio content from the CD forstorage on the computer's hard drive. The majority of this these rippingtechniques still transferred the audio through a digital to analog todigital method, but some extractors kept the digital signal frombeginning of extract to the end of archiving. This meant that a computercould save a large amount of compact disc content on a storage unit thatallowed almost instantaneous access to individual songs from separatecompact discs. Unfortunately, the file sizes of these songs were verylarge; a single song could easily require 50 megabytes of hard drivespace. An entire CD could occupy 650 megabytes.

To ease this storage problem, several compression mechanisms andformulations were quickly introduced, the most popular being MPEG IIlayer III, commonly known as MP3. Audio content compressed using the mp3format could shrink in size to a tenth of its original with arguablylittle or no loss in quality from the compact disc master. At the sametime, the Internet's progression and connection to millions of personalcomputers enabled people to share their music files with each other,although this was at first a difficult exercise since one computer wouldneed the physical address of another computer to transfer files.Services such as public anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites,digital bulletin board services, and client-based server programs suchas Hotline, acted as conduits and repositories for this compressedmusic, but most of these services were underground and difficult for theaverage user to find, much less operate.

The advent of peer-to-peer file sharing made transferring digital musicfiles between disparate computers on the Internet a trivial matter.Peer-to-peer technology allows one computer to broadcast its list ofmusic files to either a centralized computer that maintains an index offiles or broadcast its ability to share files, which other computers onthe network, or node of the network, recognize and then build their ownindex. Peer-to-peer file sharing avoids placing the physical media onone central server or bank of computer servers, but rather allows eachcomputer on the file sharing network to act as its own server, limitedby its own connection to the Internet and its own computer processingpower. Since peer-to-peer file sharing basically allows for an anonymoustransfer of files from one computer to another with no layer in betweenand, regardless of the software facilitating the service and creatingthe index, makes it a very simple matter to find and exchange files, thetechnology by its very existence aids copyright infringement by itspopulation of users, which in turn undermines the financial incentivefor artists to continue creating original works of art.

The Internet and file sharing, however, are now technologies embraced bymillions and millions of users and the thought of reverting to a closedtechnological system of recording compact discs to analog recordings ismost certainly unacceptable. Conflicting with this methodology ofsharing files are the artists and music labels who have a great interestin protecting their work from illegal copying and distribution. At thesame time sharing video content, which is still in its infancy becauseof compression techniques, requires a method that will protect theoriginal content yet retain the simplicity of peer-to-peer sharing.

The ease of copying digital works has resulted in a dilemma to copyrightowners in a work, such as music encoded per MP3, i.e., how to utilizethis new digital medium but maintain control over the work? In otherwords, the music industry and the artists are trying to preventunlicensed dissemination of the work.

There is, therefore, a need for a system, method and apparatus thatfacilitates the dissemination of a protected digital work while at thesame time maintaining control over its dissemination.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention overcome shortcomings of priorsystems and satisfy a need for providing a method and system fordistributing digital audio and video content to users that supersede theaforementioned peer-to-peer file sharing technique and also ensures thateach distributed digital file is protected from rampant copying orillicit distribution.

The present invention is directed to a system, business methodology andapparatus for facilitating controlled dissemination of digital works. Anaudio and video unit (hereinafter “unit”) plays back audio and videomedia content received from a central storage server. The unit includesa storage unit for storing downloaded digital media files, and a mediaprocessing element for generating only analog versions of selected mediafiles of the stored digital media files and outputting only the analogversions. In this way, exact duplicates of downloaded media files storedin the unit are not available for widespread distribution.

The unit further includes a card reader for retrieving an electronicvalue from a card, such as a smartcard, inserted in the card reader. Theelectronic value is used to generate the analog versions of the digitalmedia files, such as by decrypting the digital files based upon theelectronic value. As a result, only units having the appropriate cardinserted therein are able to output analog versions of the digital media

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the system, method and apparatus of thepresent invention may be obtained by reference to the following DetailedDescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a presently preferred configuration of the system andapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the player unit (consoleversion) of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the player unit (portableversion) of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an operation for browsing and ordering media througha web server according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an operation browsing and ordering media through theplayer's remote control according to embodiments of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 illustrates an operation for browsing and ordering media throughthe on-screen catalog according to embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates an encryption/decryption operation of the mediaaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates the connection of the console version of the playerunit with system components;

FIG. 9 illustrates the connection of the portable player unit withsystem components;

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate the connection of a digital camera to theplayer unit according to a preferred connection of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate an operation for sending video by theplayer unit; and

FIG. 12 illustrates an operation for the delivery of the video accordingto a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodimentsof the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied inmany different forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

The unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present inventioncontains digital media in a local, closed system that can receive adigital file and then playback the file through analog connections. Theunit, sometimes referred to as player unit, is controlled by a centralmicroprocessor and has networking connections. It also has an audio andvideo output connections and an interface for digital cameras. All mediais stored in the unit on an internal hard drive.

With reference now to FIG. 1 of the Drawings, there is illustrated apresently preferred system, generally designated by the referencenumeral 100, that implements the principles of the present invention. Asshown, a player unit 105, for playing the digital music (as well asnon-digital music or any digital work) may represent a tabletop unit forthe home or a handheld unit. In order to control improper disseminationof protected works, player unit 105 has no digital output ports orconnections, thereby preventing or at least hindering the copying of anydigital downloaded copyrighted digital works. Player unit 105 does,however, have an audio analog output, such as to a speaker 110, whichmay be a separate component or integral with player unit 105, by whichto play a previously downloaded digital work.

Preferably, the sole source of digital communication with player unit105 is via a modem 115, which may also be a separate component orintegral to the player unit 105. As shown in FIG. 1, modem 115 connectsthe player unit 105 to a network 120 via TCP/IP or other communicationsprotocols. The player unit 105 may also have a video output to suitablyconnect to a television or computer monitor 125 for reviewing themusical contents stored within the player unit 105.

With the growing convergence of appliances and computers, it should beapparent that player unit 105 need not connect to a computer to accessthe network 120 and a consumer may instead connect to the network 120directly from unit 105. For example, the consumer may download digitalfiles stored on the network 120 directly into the player unit 105 viathe modem 115. In particular, the consumer may use player unit 105 toaccess a music website or other Internet repository to obtaincopyrighted digital works, e.g., from an Internet music club. It isunderstood that even though unit 105 is not a conventional web browserused by a general purpose computer to access the Internet, it isnonetheless capable of navigating a web site and downloading mediatherefrom. The consumer could control the downloading via a keypad 130attached or integral with the player unit 105 or a remote 135, e.g.,typing or keying-in an identifier corresponding to a desired selection,which could be identified in a club booklet of available titles. Thedesired music/audio files would then be downloaded from the music sellerto the player unit 105.

Player unit 105 preferably has enough memory storage therein to hold aconsiderable amount of audio and/or media files, e.g., five hundred CD'sworth. By way of the video link to the television 125, the consumer maycatalog and navigate through the one or more databases and/or librariesof music and/or audio files stored within the user's player unit 105,i.e., on a memory therein. Since no digital copies can be made from thedownloaded file, e.g., backup memory storage within the player unit 105is fixed, meaning that deletion of stored songs may be needed to store acurrent selection, thereby making music a commodity rather than acollectible.

As should be understood, hard drive space is finite, which necessities auser to delete music or video files from their personal catalog. Thisdoes not mean that the media is no longer available. It simply is a wayto clear up more space on their local unit. The user does not need tore-purchase the songs, since the entire catalog of purchased music isalways stored safely at the central media server.

Unit 105 gives a user the ability to download audio and video contentfrom a central server in network 120 to a unit. The media is protectedfrom relatively simple mass duplication by a double-encryptionmethodology on the player unit that is keyed to the media, as will beexplained in detail hereinafter.

The player unit 105, according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, may include a processing element, such as a microprocessor,that runs a media-centric operating system whose function is to decodeand play back audio and video content, which is stored on an internalhard drive within unit 105.

FIG. 2 illustrates a console version of the player unit, generallydesignated by the reference numeral 200. The user accesses and controlsthe stored content using either a remote control that communicates tothe player unit 200 through the infrared remote receiver port 205 orusing the navigation and control buttons 210 on the front of the unit.These buttons 210 allow the user to navigate entirely through one ormore libraries of content (media files) on the unit, select a particularmedia file, begin playing the media file, suspend play of the mediafile, stop playback and other functionalities such as setting anequalizer, controlling the volume, adjusting the balance, etc. A display215, which can be a variation of liquid crystal display (LCD), lightemitting diode (LED), or a stimulated plasma display, shows the name ofthe music track of the media file selected, the time remaining in thetrack, the artist of the track, and any ancillary information that maybe relevant to the user.

The unit has several interfaces to connect to other equipment. The unit,according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention has both a10/100 Base-T Ethernet connection 220 and a modem connection 225 to linkto the network 120 and download files therefrom. Audio is played backthrough RCA audio out port 230 or a headphone jack 235. Video, which iseither video content or menu navigation screens, is played back throughthe RCA video out connection 240. An IEEE-1394 (245) interface allowsthe connection of digital video cameras to the unit 200. A smartcardinterface 250 reads the smartcard that will unlock the encrypted musicand video content for the particular user and unit.

FIG. 3 illustrates a portable version of the player unit, generallydesignated by the reference numeral 300. Similar to the console versiondescribed with reference to FIG. 2, this version contains an RCA audioout port 330, an RCA video out port 340, an IEEE-1394 interface 345, asmartcard interface 350, and navigation buttons 310. This version of theunit also contains an ⅛ inch mini audio out connection 335 forheadphones. The screen is touch-sensitive 355, so the user merely has totouch the screen to navigate the catalog and/or database of media filesstored in the unit. This version of the unit contains antennae 360hidden within the sides of the unit, a rechargeable battery 365 forpower, and a new message light 370 to warn of new video content ormessages on the unit.

The portable unit communicates to the server in the network by using adocking station 375. When the user wishes the unit to download newmedia, the unit is inserted into docking station 375 by pushing the unittherein so that the docking station interface 380 of the unit attachessolidly to the docking station. The docking station 375 may include botha 10/100 Base-T Ethernet connection 385 and a modem connection 390 aswell as an A/C power supply 395 to recharge the battery 365 in theportable unit.

The user can navigate audio and video content using a televisionattached to the video out connection. Here users can search their owncatalogs, make play lists, read biographical information, view artwork,and customize their jukeboxes according to their preference. Thetelevision is the control hub for the unit, although a user can easilynavigate their music and video collection without it. The television,however, provides a more entertaining and easy navigating experience.

The unit also allows an easily accessible catalog of media on a serverthat the user can access and download simply and quickly. According to apreferred embodiment of the present invention a user has threealternative ways to find and retrieve media from a server: by using aweb browser on a personal computer to search through a web-based media,find and then order the media using the same environment, by using aphysical catalog mailed to the user, and by navigating the central mediaserver library from the unit.

FIG. 4 illustrates an operation for downloading a media file using a webbrowser to find media for the unit. The user initially accesses the mainmedia database on the desired web server using a standard web browser405 and searches the desired databases using a variety of queries. Forexample, users can search for their favorite artist, favorite song,songs or recordings performed within a certain time frame, songs orartists that are similar to other songs or artists. The central webserver responds with a list of results that match the user's queries. Ifthe user finds something desirable, the user can order the desireddigital work, but the user first needs to be identified by the centralordering server as a subscriber for billing purposes and to know whichunit to send the media. The user can be identified by the user enteringa unique identification number at 410 received at registration of theunit, entering a unique username and password at 415 or entering theunit's identification number and password at 420. Once the user logs onto the web ordering server, the user may requests a desired media fileto be downloaded to the unit at 425. There will be times that a userwill desire to download media to a different unit than usual, so thesystem will be flexible enough to embrace these requests. Every unit, ifnecessary, has a unique identification number, much like every house hasa unique physical address.

Once the central media web server 430 receives the user's request, themedia web server pulls the necessary media from a media library at 435and sends the files through a real-time encoding and compression system440. The encoding and compression specifications are flexible. A varietyof encoding and compression techniques may be supported. Once the mediais encoded, it is sent to a staging server at 445 to connect directly tothe specified unit for downloading or to wait for a request from theunit for downloading. If the unit is attached to a high-speed, broadbandline to the Internet attached to the unit's Ethernet connection, theunit will have its own Internet Protocol address (IP address). Thestaging server can then immediately associate the unit's IP address withthat same unit's unique ID number and begin transferring the media filesat 450. However, if the unit uses its modem connection at 460, the unitwill then automatically dial into the local, proprietary connection at alater time, such as at night (or, if forced by the user, it will dial upwhen commanded) and pull the files from the staging server 445.

For example, if a user is in another city and uses the web to make anorder for some digital music, the staging server will know if the user'sunit has its own IP address or if it uses a modem (the unit will beinaccessible by the staging server if the unit uses a modem). If theunit has an IP address, the staging server will send the media filesdirectly to the unit. If the unit uses the modem, the staging serverknows to wait for the unit's call. Later, the unit will automaticallyconnect to the staging server and see whether any new media files areavailable for downloading. Since there is in this example, the unit willbegin downloading the previously ordered, presently available mediafiles.

FIG. 5 illustrates another method for downloading digital media files tothe unit by using a physical catalog hardcopy that the user can receivein the mail (or in a store or by other methods). The media catalog 505lists some or a majority of the media on the server in various ways. Theuser simply identifies an item and makes a note of that item's ID numberand then, either with a remote control 515 or by direct entry on theunit's screen 520, enters the ID number into the unit 525 and requeststo download the media. The unit 525 contacts the central media server530 and requests the media based on the media ID number 535. The centralmedia server, similar to the central media web server described withreference to FIG. 4, performs similar operations described above foraccessing, compressing and delivering the media to the requesting unit.

As should be understood, a physical catalog is limited in its breadthand depth of material, thus another method of downloading media files isillustrated to FIG. 6. This method allows the user to access anddownload digital files to a unit by navigating the entire media catalog615 on the central server through the unit. The unit's video output portis connected to a television 605, so as to present a visualrepresentation of one or more database/libraries of media files in themedia catalog. When connected to the central media catalog, the user isable to navigate the media catalog by manipulating navigation buttons onthe unit. The user can then browse and search through the entire mediacatalog using the remote control 620 or touch screen interface 625 onthe unit. The media may be downloaded using a similar mechanism asdescribed hereinabove with reference to FIG. 4.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, media isdouble-encrypted at the staging server 445 before being transmitted tothe unit. The encryption used is preferably 128 bit, although this, likecompression and encoding of media assets, is flexible depending on thesecurity level. FIG. 7 illustrates the two levels of encryption in thestaging server and the two corresponding decryption levels in the unit.The first layer of encryption at 720 is based on the specific unit thatwill receive the selected media file 705. The second layer of encryptionat 735 is based on the user's smartcard ID number. The server reconcilesthe user's name with the user's smartcard ID key at 730 and thenencrypts the media to this key at 735. The server then transfers at 740the file to the specific unit making the request or queued to receiveit. The unit then checks if the smartcard is in its reader at 745. Ifthere is a smartcard, it verifies that the smartcard ID can decode theencrypted file with a checksum. This ensures that only the specificsmartcard that the media is keyed to can unlock the file. Othersmartcards having different key values stored therein will not work. Ifthe smartcard is successfully inserted into the unit, the unit decodesthe second encrypted pass at 750 and then decodes the first encryptedpass at 760. The unit then audibly plays the media file at 765. Alldecryption is done immediately prior to the time of playback time. Theoriginal media files remain encrypted on the unit and are unplayable ifthe smartcard is removed. If the unit cannot find the smartcard, it willprompt the user for one.

The music or video content that someone owns is not necessarily tied totheir specific unit but rather is tied to the user's smartcard. Forexample, a user who has a library of 500 songs on one particular unitcan remove the smartcard and then attach that smartcard to another unit.The new unit, consequently, has privileges and decryption abilities toplay all 500 songs in the library. This will, of course, probably demanddownloading the files from the central server for this new machine. Inthis example, the old machine, without the smartcard, is unable to playany of the 500 songs.

Once the media is downloaded to the unit, the user can listen, view, andcontrol it in various ways. FIG. 8 illustrates the operation andinterworking of the console version of the player unit, described withreference to FIG. 2. The unit 810 receives the media from the MasterData Servers 815 on either a broadband connection to the Internet 820 ormodem 825. The smartcard, inserted within the unit, unlocks the audiodecryption so that the user can play back the selected audio filethrough stereo components 830, that are hooked up to the RCA analogaudio port on the unit or through headphones 835. The user can view thecurrently playing music using the television/monitor 840 which providesa visual display of unit's library of media files. Using the remotecontrol 845, the user can navigate through the unit's media filelibrary. Here the user has the flexibility of searching for any artist,track, CD name, song title, date, and genre of media on the unit. Theuser can also sort song tracks into unique playlists, for example, aplaylist of Jazz, Classical, or Blues music. These playlists areautomatically indexed to the smartcard so that the user can attach thesmartcard to another, different unit and pull up the playlists he hasalready created.

A digital video camera or other video source that supports IEEE-1394(850) connects to the IEEE-1394 connection on the media player to supplyvideo signals and compress digital video, as will be explained withrespect to the embodiments of FIGS. 10-13.

FIG. 9 illustrates in greater detail the portable, wireless unitaccording to the preferred embodiment of FIG. 3. The portable playerunit 910 connects to a docking station 960 to download media from theMaster Data Servers 915. The docking station 960 is a cradle that theunit 910 rests in which connects to the server using either thebroadband 10/100 Base-T Ethernet connection 920 or a modem connection925. The docking station has RCA audio out and video out as well as anA/C connection for power. While the unit is on the docking stationscradle, the user can listen or view media as it is transferred throughthese analog connections to the television 940 or to the stereo system930. The docking station also supplies power to recharge the battery onthe portable unit.

If the portable unit is removed from the docking station, it uses awireless network- to broadcast its content to various receivers 990. Thereceivers 990 are modular attachments that connect to the analog audioinputs on a variety of units, mainly television 940, stereo components930, portable miniature audio units 970, and car stereos 980. Forexample, when a user is listening to his portable unit throughheadphones 935 and he walks within range of a receiver attached to hisstereo system and unplugs his headphones. The portable unit immediatelysenses the modular wireless receiver 990 attached to the stereo 930 andbegins transmitting the media to that receiver. The wireless attachmentreceives the signal and sends the analog audio in to the stereo systemwhere the user begins to hear the music over the external speakers inthe room. If the user moves from his stereo to his car, and if the carhas a wireless receiver 990 attached to its car stereo system 980, thecar speakers will begin to play the music as soon as the user enters therange of that car's wireless receiver.

As is described hereinabove, the unit's main functionality is for audio.However, as will be shown hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 10-12, theunit has a substantial communicative ability with video messages, whichmay use the same technology and encryption as music.

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrates a digital camera 1030 being connected tothe unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.Using, an IEEE-1394 compliant digital video camera, a user can have theunit acquire video content for compression and delivery to other users.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, thedigital camera can be connected using a IEEE-1394 cable 1010 between thedigital camera 1030 and the unit 1040, as illustrated in FIG. 10A. Theunit 1040 immediately sense that the camera 1030 is attached, and theuser can control the camera, both searching the tape and capturingcontent, from the unit's interface. Alternatively, the camera may have amodular attachment 1020 that connects physically to the unit 1040through the IEEE-1394 port 1115. In this case, the camera may be nothingmore than a simple camera and network attachment. The unit itself maydigitize the footage and controls the lens. The unit itself will, assuggested hereinabove with reference to the audio feature of the unit,holds a finite amount of video footage due to the limited capacity ofthe hard drive and the compression technology utilized.

When the video is on the unit, the user is asked for the video'sdestination 1115, as shown in FIG. 11A. The user can watch anotherpreview of the video 1120, this time in a small window on the unit'sdisplay 1110 and select a name from the unit's address book 1125.According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the windowsize for previewing the video on the display unit can be configurable bythe user according to his/her preference. The video may be sent toanother user in the address book of the unit. The address book isinitially empty; so the user needs to input names 1130 and unit IDnumbers 1135 into the book in order for the unit knows where to sendcontent, as illustrated in FIG. 11B. The user does this by enteringnames 1130 and unique unit IDs 1135 using the on-screen keyboard 1140.This feature, as well as other features, as suggested hereinabove maywork in both the console and portable unit configurations.

FIG. 12 illustrates the video transfer between the units. The user cansend the video immediately or delay the transmission until late thatnight to avoid trying up the phone line. This depends on the networkconnection and bandwidth speed. This choice is preferably done to reducebandwidth consumption during peak hours. For example, if the user has avideo file that is 10 megabytes in size, that file might take asubstantial amount of time to transfer over the unit's 56k modem, tyingup the user's phone line for that extended period. This feature givesthe user the choice to send the file late at night or very early in themorning when the risk of the user needing the phone line for a voicecall is much smaller. Once the unit 1210 sends the video, it istemporarily stored on the Master Central Server 1220 where it waits tobe downloaded by the destination unit 1230. The unit 1210 with theoriginal video content compresses and encodes the video and then eithersends the video immediately on the broadband connection 1215 or delayssending until later to use the modem connection 1225. Once the videocontent arrives at the Central Master Server 1220, it is stored in atemporary area 1235. If the user who originally made the video hasrequested the video to be sent to a web page, the Central Mastertransfers the content to a web server 1240 and then sends an e-mail froman e-mail server 1245 to the destination user's address. The destinationuser then can access the web page through a personal computer 1250 atany time.

If the original video creator has requested that the video be deliveredto another unit instead of a web page, the Central Master Server 1220either waits for a summons from the destination unit (this will happenduring the nightly dial-up 1265) or, if the destination unit has aunique IP address and is on a broadband line 1275, the server will sendthe file immediately to the receiving unit 1230. The destination unitnow has a video waiting on the Central Server, the server then sends amessage to the unit informing it of the awaiting video. As soon as thedestination unit receives the message, an alert light glows on thereceiving unit, indicating to the user that a new video message iswaiting. The user can then request the video message to be downloaded totheir unit immediately or wait to download the message later, asdescribed above. The user can then watch the video message on the unit'sscreen or, as will most certainly be the case with console units, watchthe video message directly on the television through the video outconnection. The user then has the option, much like e-mail, to respondto the video message with a new message, to delete the message from theunit, or catalog the message, depending on hard drive space.

As should be clear, video message content is temporal and transitory andrequires server-side hard drive space for a limited amount of time.Users can easily save these video messages to a video tape or otherarchival system.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the unitmay be flexible in its development and operation and have the capabilityfor upgrades. Moreover, the user interface such as the televisionnavigation screens and the on-screen look and feel should also beflexible. For instance, semi-customizable user interfaces “Skins” can beimplemented in the player unit.

It should be understood that although the MP3 standard has beenillustrated, the present invention offers a methodology applicable toother digital standards.

The unit enables secure and simple digital distribution of media andrelieves the control of these types of digital assets from personalcomputers, thus as described hereinabove controlling the reproduction ofdigital copyrighted works. The unit can be seen as a dedicatedentertainment, digital delivery consumer unit. The unit is flexible inconstruction and simple in use.

The unit, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,is flexible to read various types of audio and video which allows thecompressed files sent from the central server to be in differentformats. The unit is able to play the music or video using a variety oftechniques.

The unit may, according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, include a CD-player for audio playback from regular CDs orfrom custom MP3 CDs that are recorded and encrypted according to thetechniques set forth in the present invention. Thus, the custom MP3 CDcan be played only using a unit containing the user's smartcard.

It is understood that cards other than smartcards may be used by theunit for storing the personalized key used in performing the encryptionand decryption operations. A smartcard may be a Personal Computer MemoryCard International Association (PCMCIA) card, Japan Electronic IndustryDevelopment Association (JEIDA), etc.

As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the innovativeconcepts described in the present application can be modified and variedover a wide range of applications. Accordingly, the scope of patentedsubject matter should not be limited to any of the specific exemplaryteachings discussed, but is instead defined by the following claims.

1. A player unit for facilitating digital media files playback, saidplayer unit comprising: a storage unit for storing downloaded digitalmedia files; at least one analog output port, said player unit nothaving digital output ports; a media processing element for generatingonly analog versions of selected media files of the stored digital mediafiles and outputting only said analog versions; and a card reader forretrieving an electronic value from a card inserted in said card reader,said electronic value being used to generate said analog versions ofsaid digital media files.
 2. The player unit according to claim 1,further comprising: navigation means for navigating through said digitalmedia files on said storage unit; and user-manipulated control devicesfor controlling said navigation means by a user.
 3. The player unitaccording to claim 1, further comprising a video output port foroutputting a video signal representative of a navigation operation ofsaid player unit.
 4. The player unit according to claim 1, furthercomprising an interface for interfacing said player unit with a digitalcamera and receiving digital video signals therefrom.
 5. The player unitaccording to claim 1, wherein said player unit is a desktop player unit.6. The player unit according to claim 1, further comprising a networkconnection means for downloading digital media files from a network. 7.The player unit according to claim 1, further comprising a remotetransceiver for transceiving optical signals between said player unitand a remote control, said optical signals controlling said player unit.8. The player unit according to claim 1, further comprising a liquidcrystal display (LCD) screen for visually displaying an operationperformed by said player unit.
 9. The player unit according to claim 1,wherein said player unit is a portable player unit.
 10. The player unitaccording to claim 9, further comprising a transmitter for transmittingsaid analog versions of said selected digital media files over awireless channel.
 11. The player unit according to claim 9, furthercomprising an interface for interfacing with a docking station fordownloading said digital media files.
 12. The player unit according toclaim 1, further comprising a touch screen for visually displayinginformation relating to the operation of said player unit and selectingfunctions performed by said player unit.
 13. A player unit forfacilitating digital media files playback, said player unit comprising:a storage unit, said storage unit storing downloaded digital mediafiles; a media processing element, said media processing elementgenerating only analog versions of said downloaded digital media files;and an output port, said output port outputting only said analogversions of said downloaded digital media files, said output port beingan analog-only port, said player unit having no digital output ports.14. The player unit according to claim 13, further comprising: adisplay, said display providing a visual indication of files on theplayer unit.
 15. The player unit according to claim 14, furthercomprising: a navigator, said navigator providing a user a way tonavigate on the display through the files on the player unit.
 16. Theplayer unit according to claim 14, wherein said display is a touchscreen device, whereby a user can touch navigate through the filesstored on the player unit or elsewhere through a network connection. 17.The player unit according to claim 13, wherein media output from saidoutput port are selected from the group consisting of: audio, video,data and combinations thereof.
 18. The player unit according to claim13, wherein said analog versions are stored on said storage unit. 19.The player unit according to claim 13, further comprising: a decryptorfor decrypting said downloaded digital media files.
 20. The player unitaccording to claim 19, wherein said decryptor employs at least twodecryption keys.
 21. The player unit according to claim 20, wherein oneof said decryption keys corresponds to the user of said player unit andthe other said decryption key corresponds to the player unit.
 22. Theplayer unit according to claim 13, further comprising: a connector, saidconnector connecting said player unit to a content provider.
 23. Theplayer unit according to claim 22, wherein said connector is selectedfrom the group consisting of: the Internet, Ethernet, a modem, awireless transceiver, docketing station, computer and television. 24.The player unit according to claim 13, wherein said player unit isselected from the group consisting of: a portable player unit, a desktopplayer unit, and a car player unit.
 25. A player unit for facilitatingdigital media files playback, said player unit comprising: a storageunit for storing downloaded digital media files therein; a conversionmeans for converting a digital media file stored on said storage unit toan analog version thereof and outputting only said analog version; andsaid player unit having only analog outputs and no digital outputs. 26.A player device comprising: a memory, said memory containing at leastone digital file thereon; at least one output port, said at least oneoutput port being analog only, said player device having no digitaloutput ports; and a connection device, said connection device connectingsaid player device to a network, whereby a user of said player devicecan download said at least one digital file to the player device andplay said at least one digital file through said at least one outputport in analog, said user able to play an analog version of said atleast one digital file but unable to make a digital copy of said atleast one digital file from said player device.
 27. A player deviceaccordingly to claim 26, further comprising: conversion means forconverting said at least one digital file to an analog representationfor playing through said at least one output port in analog.